Shelving construction



R. R. BELCHEFR SHELVING- CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1', 1918.RENEWED OCT. 2|, I919.

1,324,537. Patented Dec. 9,1919.

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SHELVING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1. I918. RENEWED OCT. 2!, 1919 Patented Dec. 9,1919.

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life m1 e154 3% MMM Z? WITNESS RALPH BOY B ELCHER, QF BAINBIR'IIDG'ZEI,GEORGIA.

SHELVING CONSTRUCTION.

Specification 01' Letters Ifatent.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

Application filed August 1, 1918, Serial No. 247,821. Renewed October21, 1919. Serial No. 332,278.

shelving construction which embodies but relatively few parts, each ofwhich part is very simple in construction, so that the shelving may beformed of wood and be cheaply manufactured. Shelving made in accordancewith the present invention, while being very simple and cheap, isrelatively strong and may be readily installed, easily removed andarranged.

The above and other objects of mv invention are obtained in thestructure described in the following specmcation and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and where- 1n:

Figure l is a perspective view of a section of shelving constructed inaccordance withv the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the lower ends ofthe members or parts forming a standard, the parts being separatedforpurposes of illustratlon.

Fig. 3 is an edge view, partly in elevation and partly in section, oftwo lines of shelving placed back to back.

Fig. 4 is a front elevatlonal view of the shelving construction.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 5-5, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the shelf supporting brackets.

Fig. 7 is a side view, partly in sectlon, showing a cap piece for thecolumns.

Referring to said drawings, wherein like reference characters representlike parts in the several views, the letter A designates the shelfsupporting brackets, each of which, by

preference, merely comprises two strips 10 and 11 of wood. The strip 10,which serves as a shelf receiving portion, is secured along its centrallongitudinal portion b means of nails 12, screws, glue or the like, tothe edge of the strip 11, which serves as a, web. The web portion 11 islonger than the shelf receiving portion 10 so as to extend beyond oneend thereof and form a socket engaging portion 13.

The letter B designates, generally, the columns or posts upon which thebrackets A are ad uSted vertically. Each of the posts B comprises a pairof spaced outside strips 14 and a central or spacing strip 15 betweenthe outer strips, the several strips being secured in assembled positionin any suitable manner, but preferably by means of nails 16. The strips14 and 15 are, by preference, constructed OI wood so as to reduce thecost of manufacture and facilitate as- .sembling.

Each of the outer strips 14 has spaced apart longitudinally of its frontedge a plurality of notches, these notches being rectangular in shapeand being equal in length to the thickness of the shelf portion 10 ofthe brackets A so as to snugly receive the inner end of the same. Itwill be seen from the drawings, and particularly from Fig. 3, that eachof the notches 17 has an upwardly facing shoulder 18 upon which shoulder19, formed by the under surface of the shelf portion 10 of the bracket Aon either side of the socket engaging portion, rests. Each of thenotches 17 also has a downwardly facing shoulder 20, against which theupper surface of the shelf receiving portion 10 en-- gages.Corresponding notches 17 in the strips 14 are in horizontal alinementwith each other.

The central strip 15 of each column B is of less depth or thickness thanthe outside strips 14, and has its rear edge flush with the rear edgesof the side strips so as to provide a longitudinal groove 21 between theforward edges of the side strips. The front edge of the spacing strip 15is also provided with notches 22 which are spaced apart similarlv 0f thenotches 17 of the strips 14, but with the upper edge or downwardlyfacing shoulder 23 of each notch 22 in horizontal alinement with theupwardly facing shoulders 18 of the corresponding notches 17 Thenotches22 are in length equal to the height of the socket engaging portion 13of the brackets A, so as to snugly receive said portion with the upperedge of the portion 13 closel engagmg the downwardly facing shoulder 23,and the lower edge of the portion 13 resting on the upwardly facingshoulder 24. At the lower end of each of the columns or posts B is aforwardly extending foot or pedestal 25, which prevents the shelvingfrom falling forwardly away from the wall of the building or store room.The lower end of the spacing strip 15 of each column B terminates shortof the lower ends of the outer strips 14: so as to provide a socket 26adapted to receive a narrow tongue 27 extending from one end of the bodyportion of the foot 25. A diagonally extending brace 28 is secured atits upper end between the stri s 14 and is fastened at its lower end tothe foot 25. The sheli es designated by the numeral 2 are also, bypreference, constructed of wood and each shelf is notched, as at 30, tofit the posts B when the shelves are laid upon the brackets A.

It is often desirable to locate the shelving construction away from thewall of the building, to provide plurality of aisles, and in such eventit is found to be of advantage to set up two lines of shelving back toback, as shown in Fig. 3. To secure the'sections or lines of shelvingtogether, a hook 331 may be fastened to one shelf and an, eye 32 in theoppositely disposed shelf so as to receive the free end of the hook.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the various membersor parts may be readily formed of straight strips of wood and thenotches in the standards, being rectangular in shape, may be easily andquickly formed without requiring complicated machinery, where done bymachine, or considerable labor and mechanical skill when done manually.

If desired, the brackets A may be secured to the standard by bolts orthe like, but this is not preferable, as it is desired that the bracketsbe easily removable to facilitate adjustment of the shelving.Furthermore, such securing means are not necessary, for the bracketsfit'snugly in the notches of the posts or standards and can only beremoved by pulling them forwardly in a horizontal plane. Due to theengagement of the shoulders 19 and the upper edge of the socket engagingportion 13 of each bracket with the shoulders 18 of the notches 17 andthe downwardly facing shoulders 23 of notches 22, respectively, thebrackets are maintained in a horizontal position and will not sag attheir outer ends when merchandise is placed upon the shelving.Furthermore, due to the close fit of the rear end of the shelf receivingportion 10 of each bracket A between the opposed shoulders 18 and 20 ofthe notches 17, the shelves are held against downward movement at theirouter ends.

In Fig. 7, I have shown a cap piece for the posts B which may beconveniently-used to finish and tie the posts together, and it may beused with or without the hook 31. This cap piece comprises the finishingplate 33 If desired, the hook and eye may be carried by the posts B.

, face of the portion 10 with the downwardly facing shoulder .20 of thenotches 17 j This is of advantage, as it will prevent movement of theshelf in a vertical direction and the consequent derangement of themerchandise thereon when the shelf is accidentally struck or jarred, as,for instance, when a person placing merchandise on a shelf accidentallystrikes the shelf. 1 I

. It is, of course, obvious that my invention is. susceptible of variouschanges and modification which would be within the spirit of theinvention without departing from the scope of the following claims.

-What I claim is:

1. In a shelving construction, a bracket having a shelf receivingportion and a socket engaging portion; and a supporting column having aseries of longitudinally spaced notches to receive the socket engagingportion of said socket and a longitudinal series of spaced notches toreceive the 1nner edge of the shelf receiving'portion of the bracket. J

2. In a shelving construction, a supporting column having a series oflongitudinally spaced notches each having a downwardly facing shoulderand an upwardly facing shoulder, said supporting column also having aseries of longitudinally spaced shoulders forwardly of said notches; anda shelf bracket having a shelf receiving portion provided with shouldersengaging said for wardly positioned shoulders, said bracket also havinga socket engaging portion engageable between the shoulders of and insaid notches.

3. In a shelving construction, a supporting column having a series oflongitudinally spaced rectangular notches and a series of longitudinallyspaced upwardly facing shoulders; and a shelf bracket having a socketengaging portion engaging in said notches, and a shelf receiving portionprovided with a shoulder engaging with said shoulders.

4. In a shelving construction, a supporting column having a series oflongitudinally spaced rectangular notches and a series of provided withshoulders engaging said first shoulders, and an extension snuglyengaging insaid notches.

5. In a shelving construction, a supporting column having two series oflongitudinally spaced rectangular notches, and a series of shouldersspaced between and rearwardly of said notches; and a shelf brackethaving a shelf receiving portion one end of which engages in saidrectangular notches, and a portion extending from said first portion andengaging said rearwardly spaced shoulders.

6. In a shelving construction, a support ing bracket having a pluralityof series of longitudinally spaced rectangular notches and a shelfbracket having a shelf receiving portion one end of which engages in thenotches of one series, said bracket also having an extension fitting inthe notches of the other series.

7. In a shelving construction, a supporting bracket having a series oflongitudinally spaced rectangular notches, and a series oflongitudinally spaced rectangular notches on each side and forwardly ofsaid-first series; and a bracket having a shelf receiving portionengaging in the notches of the forward series, said bracket also havingan extension engageable in the notches of the first series.

8. In a shelving construction, a supporting column having a longitudinalgroove in one face, a series of rectangular notches in the bottom ofsaid groove and a series of longitudinally spaced rectangular notches ineach of the forward edges of the groove; and a bracket having a shelfreceiving portion one end of which engages in the lastmentioned notches,said bracket also having an extension fitting in said groove and in saidfirst mentioned notches.

- 9. In ashelving construotion,a supporting column comprising two sidestrips and a spacing, strip secured together to form a groove in oneface of the column, said spacing strip having longitudinally spacedrectangular notches and each of said outside strips hav ing a series oflongitudinally spaced notches, and a bracket having a shelf receivingportion engageable at one end in said notches of the outside strips,said bracket also having a web which at one end extends beyond saidshelf receiving ortion, said extension being engageable in tie notchesof the spacing strip.

10. In a shelving'construction, a support.- ing column comprising twoside strips and a spacing strip secured together to form a groove in oneface of the column, said spacing strip terminating short of the lowerends of the side strips to provide a socket, notches in said strips;brackets having a shelf receiving portion and a socket engaging portionengageable in said notches; a foot having a tongue engaging in saidsocket; and a brace between the foot and column.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

RALPH ROY BELCHER.

